Credit: ERIC PIERMONT/AFP/Getty ImagesThe management of Disney Parks is a strange place to be at the moment. When Catherine Powell announced she was leaving the Walt Disney Company after over 15 years we were pretty shocked, especially given her recent promotion and transition from Disneyland Paris to America.
It seemed that she had quit the company amid reportedly poor attendance for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. However, questions started to be asked on whether Catherine Powell was forced out of The Walt Disney Company by Bob Chapek, given that she had almost no input into the Galaxy’s Edge project. After all, she was posted at Disneyland Paris when it was given the green light.
It would seem that those rumors were true given a recent social media post by Catherine Powell herself over on her LinkedIn. While she doesn’t use the word “fired,” you might agree that the wording here suggests she was let go:
“Apparently Walt Disney himself said “You may not realise it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in world for you”! I cant say gratitude was front of mind when it happened. But some weeks after learning I was leaving Disney, I can reflect with immense appreciation on the opportunities and experiences afforded to me and my family.”
Many Disney fans think that the clock is ticking for Bob Chapek at the Disney company, and it is a real shame for someone like Powell, who was so loved by fans, to be fired for something she had little to no involvement in. Catherine Powell has largely been given credit for breathing life into Disneyland Paris and she always stopped to speak to fans who wanted to have a chat with her. She genuinely cared for the fans and we will miss her presence in the company.
We wish her all the best in her future, but the empty space she’s left at The Walt Disney Company leaves us thinking about what could have been…
What are your thoughts on Catherine Powell leaving Disney? If you’ve met her, leave us a comment below with your favorite memory.
Source: LinkedIn
